Changing Course
by gredandforge09
Summary: October 31st, 1981. Voldemort travels to the Potter residence to destroy the one person prophesied to end him. James Potter desperately attempts to defend his family- without a wand. But is all as hopeless as it seems?


James grinned as Harry's face lit up, his eyes focused intently upon the puffs of coloured smoke erupting from James' wand. Harry was laughing and grabbing at the smoke. James laughed along with him.

James loved Harry's laugh, his smile, the way he said, "Dada!", the two o' clock in the morning wake-up calls-well, maybe not the wake-up calls-, and the way Harry beamed when he saw his parents.

Parents.

James still couldn't believe his luck.

At that moment, his musings were interrupted as Lily walked into the room, her emerald eyes twinkling with amusement.

"It's Harry's bedtime, James," she said, brushing back her long, dark red hair as it fell over her face. "Hand him over."

Dutifully he scooped up Harry and held him out to her. As she left the room, James threw his wand down upon the sofa and stretched, yawning. It had been a long day, as Harry had been full of energy, and James was exhausted. He chuckled as he imagined Sirius' smirk at James' early bedtime.

Then he heard the front door burst open.

James sprinted into the hall, coming to a dead stop as he took in the pale face, red eyes, and mirthless smile. His heart skipped a beat.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off-"

But how on earth could he hold him off, without his wand? The same thought had obviously occurred to the dark wizard in front of him as he laughed and raised a pale arm-

"Avada Ked-"

All of a sudden, a blinding white light filled the cramped hallway. It lit the pram pushed against the wall, it made the banisters glare like lightning rods, and a young man appeared-where had he come from?-and shoved James back. Voldemort's eyes widened in shock, and James was sure his face held the same look of confusion.

"Who are you?" Voldemort demanded, fury lining his snakelike features. The young man glared back. He didn't answer. Voldemort's eyes narrowed, then he relaxed, and a terrifyingly calm look stole over his face.

"No matter," Voldemort nearly purred. "Now move aside, or you will...regret your actions."

Without warning, two things happened in quick succession. James suddenly found himself flying sideways into the next room, out of the fray, and a red light illuminated the hall. Voldemort shrieked in anger and James was filled with dread as a green light shone over him. He quickly jumped up, grabbed his wand, and ran back into the hall.

Curses were flying. No longer did Voldemort wear a look of amused indifference at the stranger. His face was one of concentration, and as the stranger turned slightly, James saw Voldemort slash through the air with his wand.

And then the stranger fell.

He lay there in obvious agony, clutching his chest; Voldemort threw back his head slightly and laughed again, a high, cold laugh. James felt a surge of hatred for the evil wizard in front of him and raised his wand.

"Avada Kedavra!"

His was not the only voice that rang out, he briefly noted as Voldemort fell backwards, arms splayed, the slit pupils of the scarlet eyes rolling upwards. A deafening silence followed.

James could only stare, his mind attempting to take in the fact that Voldemort was dead.

A small groan was the only thing that tore James' eyes away from the snakelike face, and he turned to find the stranger struggling to stand. Only, the stranger looked oddly like...

"James!"

He heard Lily's cry and turned to face her. He saw her racing down the stairs, Harry in her arms, gurgling happily. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears, and as she saw him standing there, unscathed, her expression went from despair to joy to bewilderment, and her eyes shifted to a point behind him. He followed her gaze.

The young man was staring at Lily; James couldn't put his finger on the emotions that played in his eyes, for scarcely was one there then it disappeared for another to replace it. James cocked his head at him as the stranger turned his gaze upon James. Green eyes met hazel. James froze as he saw a mirror image of himself standing in front him. But how was that possible? The young man opened his mouth-

Suddenly another bright light lit the room, and two more people appeared: a tall, ginger-haired boy and a bushy-haired girl stood before them. The girl rushed at the first young man and grabbed him around the middle.

"Harry!" she sobbed, "we were so worried! What were you thinking?" The ginger approached him as well, saying," Yeah, mate, mum nearly went spare when we couldn't find you."

James felt oddly as if he were listening to their conversation from the far end of a tunnel. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Lily collapsing onto the couch, and briefly he wondered if he should join her; he felt a bit shaky himself. The stranger who looked extraordinarily like him, the one called Harry, never took his gaze off of Lily and James.

James cleared his throat, and four pairs of eyes focused on him.

"I think," he began weakly, "that an explanation is in order."

**A/N: I'll get around to explaining what happened soon :) Please review- this is the first thing I've ever posted on here.**


End file.
